diff --git a/drone/src/bin/drone.rs b/drone/src/bin/drone.rs
index 3cf2fb78c..3f2125769 100644
--- a/drone/src/bin/drone.rs
+++ b/drone/src/bin/drone.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+use bytes::Bytes;
 use clap::{crate_description, crate_name, crate_version, App, Arg};
 use log::*;
 use solana_drone::drone::{Drone, DRONE_PORT};
@@ -85,12 +86,16 @@ fn main() -> Result<(), Box<error::Error>> {
             let (writer, reader) = framed.split();
 
             let processor = reader.and_then(move |bytes| {
-                let response_bytes = drone2
-                    .lock()
-                    .unwrap()
-                    .process_drone_request(&bytes)
-                    .unwrap();
-                Ok(response_bytes)
+                match drone2.lock().unwrap().process_drone_request(&bytes) {
+                    Ok(response_bytes) => {
+                        trace!("Airdrop response_bytes: {:?}", response_bytes.to_vec());
+                        Ok(response_bytes)
+                    }
+                    Err(e) => {
+                        info!("Error in request: {:?}", e);
+                        Ok(Bytes::from(&b""[..]))
+                    }
+                }
             });
             let server = writer
                 .send_all(processor.or_else(|err| {
diff --git a/drone/src/drone.rs b/drone/src/drone.rs
index a4e1add59..e015f3e8e 100644
--- a/drone/src/drone.rs
+++ b/drone/src/drone.rs
@@ -267,13 +267,16 @@ pub fn run_local_drone(
                 let (writer, reader) = framed.split();
 
                 let processor = reader.and_then(move |bytes| {
-                    let response_bytes = drone2
-                        .lock()
-                        .unwrap()
-                        .process_drone_request(&bytes)
-                        .unwrap();
-                    trace!("Airdrop response_bytes: {:?}", response_bytes.to_vec());
-                    Ok(response_bytes)
+                    match drone2.lock().unwrap().process_drone_request(&bytes) {
+                        Ok(response_bytes) => {
+                            trace!("Airdrop response_bytes: {:?}", response_bytes.to_vec());
+                            Ok(response_bytes)
+                        }
+                        Err(e) => {
+                            info!("Error in request: {:?}", e);
+                            Ok(Bytes::from(&b""[..]))
+                        }
+                    }
                 });
                 let server = writer
                     .send_all(processor.or_else(|err| {